Hand truck



, .Nov. 20, 1928. 1,692,624

J. A. BYINGTON HAND TRUCK Filed Aug. 8, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 1 Nov. 20, 1928.

' J. A. BYINGTON Filed Aug. 8, 1927 HAND TRUCK I 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 20, 1928.

UNITED STATES JAMES AUGUST BYINGTON, OF ORLANDO, FLORIDA.

HAND TRUCK.

Application filed August 8, 1927. Serial No. 211,451.

The invention relates to hand trucks particularly adapted for handling boxes of fruit at packing plants, but applicable for general use, and has for its object to provide a device of this character having means for gripping the opposite sides of an article and holding the same, thereby allowing stacks of boxes to be easily moved from be deposited on the floor in close engagement with adjacent stacks. V

A further object is to provide the lower end of the truck with outwardly extending slidable bars, the outer ends of which terminate in adjustable forwardly extending arms adapted to grip opposite sides of an article, for instance a box, and foot lever control mechanism cooperating with said bars, whereby said bars can be moved inwardly towards each other for forcing the gripping arms into close binding engagementwith opposite sides of the box.

A further object is to control the slidable bars by means of pivoted levers pivoted to the frame and to the bars and having their upper ends provided with bearing members disposed in arcuate cam slots of a vertically movable member, which vertically movable member, when moved in one direction forces the slidable bars inwardly to grippingposition, and when moved in'the opposite directi on forces the slidable bars outwardly to released position, and alsofprovide the ends of the cam slots with recesses into which the bearing members of the pivoted levers engage when the cam member is in locked position, thereby preventing movement of the cam member during the clamping operation until the same is manually released.

A further object is to intcrpose a spring between the inner adjacent ends of the slide bars, which spring is compressed during the clamping operation, and assists in forcing the slide bars apart during the releasing operation.

A further object is to form the axle and foot lever carrying arms integral, thereby insuring a positive adjustment at all times. A further object is to provide the ends of the slidable bars with substantially right angularly shapedarms pivoted thereto, which. arms are'gripping arms and are providec with adjusting screws acting against coiled springs at the pivotal points, thereby allow ing the screws,

according to arms, through the adjustment of the to be adjusted inwardly or outwardly the width of the boxes being handled, whereby upon rocking place to place and to the invention resides in the combinatlon and of the pivoted levers by the cam slots a positive gripping'will be insured.

A further object is to provide the gripping arms with extension members whereby the lengththereof may be varied according to the width of'the-boxes handled.

With the above and other objects in view arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, I

shown in the drawings, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scopeof what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the in vention. I

In the drawings p a Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the truck,

showing the mechanism in gripping position.

Figure 2 is a slde elevation of the truck.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the gripping arms.

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view through one of the gripping arms.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional View through the lower end of the truck taken on line 55 of Figure 2." i

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional. view through the lower end of the truck,

Figure 7 is a detail view in elevation of a portion of the cam member, showing the recess, in the bearing member for holding the mechanism in gripped position.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the side bars of the truck, which bars are connected together by 'means of transversely disposed bars 2, 3, 4 and 5. Secured to the rear sides-of the bars '1 are bearing members 6 in which are mounted at 7 the ends of the axle 8, and on which axle are rotatablv mounted ground engaging wheels 9; Extending upwardly from the axle 8 are spaced integral ears 10 between which pivotallv mounted at 11 a foot lever 12. The forward end of the foot lever 12 is pivotally connected at 13 to the lower end of a vertical slide rod 14, and which slide rod is slidably mounted in bearings 15 carried by the rear sides of the bars 3 and 4 therefore, it will be seen that when the operator places his foot on the outer end of the foot lever 12, and forces the same downwardly, the bar 1 L will be forced upwardly; Connected to the bar 14 at 16.is a cam member 17, which cam'member is provided with arcuate cam slots 18, in which is disposed the the expansion bearing members 19, anddurin the upward and downward'movement of t e cam mem on their pivotal points 21, for forcin the bars 24 inwardly or outwardly for a ox gripping or releasing operation. Bars 24 are slidably mounted in bearing members 25 carried by the forward side of the bars 1, therefore it will be seen that the bars 24 will be ositively guided at all times. The lower ends of thercam slots 18 are provided with recesses 26, into which the bearing members 19 engage when the mechanism is in clamped position as shown in Figure 1, and said recesses maintain the cam member '18 in raised position, and the parts in clamped position. This operation is additionally insured by means of spring 27'which is compressed when the bars 24 are in clamped position and which coiled spring is mounted on the arms 28 of a plate 29 secured to the rear side of the bar 5 as clearly shown in Figure 1, conse quentlytheiclamping mechanism is locked in clamped position. When -it is desired to release the mechanism, theoperator may place his foot on the arm 30 carried by the bar 14 and force the sameoutwardly, and which operation will slightly compress the sprin 27, and the expansive action of the spring an the weight of the cam member 17 and rod 14 will then force the slide bars 24 outwardly to released position.

The outer ends of the slide bars 24 are provided with rearwardly extending cars 31, which ears extend into chambers 32 of the angularly shaped gripping arms 33, and which arms 33 are pivotally connected to the ears 31 by means of pins 34. Surrounding the pins 34 are coiled springs 35, one of the ends of which is anchored at 36 to one of the cars 31, and the other arm 37 engages the inner side of'the arm 38 of the gripping arm, thereby forcing the same outwardly at all times. The arms 39 of the gripping arms overlie the rear sides of the bars 24 and are provided with adjusting bolts 40, which cooperate with the rear sides of the slide bars 24, and form means whereby the outer ends of the gripping arms 38 may be adjusted inwardly or outwardly according to the Width of boxes being handled, and the relation of the cam slots 18 thereto when the mechanism is in gripping position, therefore it will be seen that widerange of adjustability is obtained. Adjust-ably mounted on the arms 38 are extension arms 41 having gripping lugs 42 at their outer ends which may be welded or otherwise secured thereto. The extension arms 41 are secured to the arms 38 by means of bolts 43, which bolts extend through elongated slots 44 in the arms 38 and 41, there fore it will be seen that the extension arms 41 i From the above it will be seen that a truck 7 is provided with cam actuated gripping arms,

which arms may be adjusted inwardly or out wardly or extended in length, and the axle and arms carried thereby to which the op erating lever is pivotally grally formed, thereby insuring pro er adjustment at all times and obviating t is diflicult now experienced where the lever is pivota y connected to a collar secured to the axle by a set screw. It will also be seen that the device is simple in construction, positive in its operation, and the same can be cheaply manufactured and sold. 1

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful is 1. The combination with a truck,,an axle carried by said truck, ground engaging wheels carried by said axle, gripping bars slidably mounted in the lower end of said truck, of means for controlling saidgripping bars comprising a cam member having arcuate cam slots, a vertically movable slide bar carriedby the truck and to which the cam member is connected, substantially vertically disposed rock bars pivotally connected to the truckbelow the cam member, bearing members carried by the rock bars and disposed in the cam slots of the cam member, the lower ends of said rock bars gripping bars.

2. The combination with a wheel supported truck having inwardly and outwardly movable slide bars at its lower end, gripping arms carried by the outer ends of the slide bars, or means. for simultaneously moving said slide bars towards or away from each other, said means comprisingvertically disposed pivoted rock levers, one of the ends of said rock levers being connected to the slide bars, a vertically movable cam member having arcuate cam slots and above the pivotal points of the rock levers and antifrictional bearing members carried by the upper ends of the rock levers and disposed in the cam slots.

3. The combination with a wheel supported being connected to the I connected are inte- I truck having inwardly and outwardly movable Slide bars at its lower end, carried by the outer ends of the slide bars,

gri ing arms of means for simultaneously moving said slide bars towards and away from each other, said means comprising vertically disposed pivoted rock levers, one of the ends of the rock levers being connected to the slide bars, a vertically movable cam'member having cam slots therein and disposed above the pivotal points of the rock levers, members carried by the levers and disposed in the cam slots, the lower ends of said cam slots being provided with inwardly extending; recesses for the reception of the lever carried members when the cam member is in upper position during a clamping operation, and an expansion spring interposed between the inner adjacent ends of the slide bars and forming means for maintaining the lever car ried members in the cam recesses and lever means for controlling the vertical movement of the cam member.

4. The combination with a wheel supported truck having inwardly and outwardly movable slide bars adjacent its lower end, gripping arms carried by the slide bars, of means for simultaneously moving said slide bars towards or away from each other, said means comprising upwardly extending pivoted rock levers, one of the ends of the rock-levers being connected to the slide bars, means for nor mally forcing said slide bars apart, an upwardly extending and upwardly movable cam member having arcuate cam slots and above the pivotal points of the rock levers and members carried by the upper ends of the rock levers and disposed in the cam slots.

5. The combination with a wheel supported truck having inwardly and outwardly movable sliding gripping bars, pivoted control levers for said grippin bars, a movable member having cam slot-s, members carried by the levers and disposed in the cam slots, said members upon movement of the sliding memher in one direction being received in'recesses at the ends of the cam slots, of spring means normally forcing the gripping bars apart an d maintaining the lever carried members in the recesses of the cam slots.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature. 7

JAMES AUGUST BYINGTON. 

